Abraham Lincoln, a History — Volume 02 eBook

“2. Resolved, That the Democratic party
will abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court of
the United States on the questions of constitutional
law.”

[7] “To obtain the aid of the Democracy in this
contest, it is necessary to make a contest in its
Charleston Convention. In that body Douglas’s
adherents will press his doctrines to a decision.
If the States-Rights men keep out of that convention,
that decision must inevitably be against the South,
and that either in direct favor of the Douglas doctrine,
or by the indorsement of the Cincinnati platform,
under which Douglas claims shelter for his principles.”
“The States-Rights men should present in that
convention their demands for a decision, and they
will obtain an indorsement of their demands, or a
denial of these demands. If indorsed, we shall
have greater hope of triumph within the Union.
If denied, in my opinion, the States-Rights wing should
secede from the convention, and appeal to the whole
people of the South; without distinction of parties,
and organize another convention upon the basis of
their principles, and go into the election with a
candidate nominated by it, as a grand constitutional
party. But in the Presidential contest a black
Republican may be elected. If this dire event
should happen, in my opinion the only hope of safety
for the South is in a withdrawal from the Union before
he shall be inaugurated; before the sword and treasury
of the Federal Government shall be placed in the keeping
of that party. I would suggest that the several
State legislatures should by law require the Governor,
when it shall be made manifest that the black Republican
candidate for the Presidency shall receive a majority
of the electoral votes, to call a convention of the
people of the State, to assemble in ample time to
provide for their safety before the 4th of March, 1861.
If, however, a black Republican should not be elected,
then, in pursuance of the policy of making this contest
within the Union, we should initiate measures in Congress
which should lead to a repeal of all the unconstitutional
acts against slavery. If we should fail to obtain
so just a system of legislation, then the South should
seek her independence out of the Union.”—­Speech
of W.L. Yancey, delivered at Columbia, S.C.,
July 8, 1859. Copied in The New York “Tribune,”
July 20, 1859.

The corroboration and fulfillment of the plot here
indicated are found in the official proceedings of
the Alabama Convention and the Alabama Legislature.
The convention on January 13, 1860, expressly instructed
its delegation at Charleston to secede in case the
ultra-Southern doctrines were not incorporated in
the National Democratic platform, and sent Mr. Yancey
as a delegate to execute their instructions, which
he did as the text states.

The Alabama Legislature, on its part, passed a joint
resolution, which the Governor approved, February
24, 1860, providing “that upon the election
of a President advocating the principles and action
of the party in the Northern States calling itself
the Republican party,” the Governor should forthwith
call a convention of the State. This convention
was duly called after the election of Mr. Lincoln,
and passed the secession ordinance of Alabama.